Relief Counselor

The Ivy Street School is a small, year-round, private residential special education school committed to advancing equity and access for young people living with disabilities. We serve neurodivergent adolescents ages 13-22. We support the whole child through a student-first model that is driven by collaboration, a willingness to think big, and a commitment to knowing our students well.

We believe that every student is exceptional and at Ivy Street, we work tirelessly to create the educational and therapeutic conditions for our students to thrive. As a community, we are focused on the immediate needs of our scholars with an unwavering eye on their future needs and the concrete plans to achieve it. Our multidisciplinary team works to create rich and meaningful experiences that will nurture learning and prepare our students for their transition into adulthood and independent living. While our classrooms have four walls, we consider Boston our second classroom and our students are often making meaning and deepening learning throughout the city.

Job Description:

We are seeking a Relief Counselor to join our team. Relief Counselors work on a per diem basis to support Education, Residential and Overnight shifts in order to cover temporary vacancies, accommodate the time off for full-time staff members, and to otherwise provide direct care staffing across the program. Most typically, this will involve covering some of the following shifts:

Education:

Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Residential:

Saturday/Sunday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Monday – Friday 2:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Overnight:

Sunday-Saturday, 9:00 PM – 9:00 AM

Relief Counselors are creative, flexible, and excited by our “whatever it takes” approach to the

work. You will work closely with our residential, education and/or overnight teams to provide supportive learning and leisure, educational opportunities, the completion of activities of daily living and implement our shared therapeutic framework in order to better support our students across settings.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain a safe and therapeutic learning environment and provide individualized supports to students based on learning and treatment needs
• Support students with daily stressors using therapeutic frameworks supported by Ivy Street including PBIS and the ARC Framework of Trauma-Informed Care
• Engage with students throughout all daily activities and lessons and support them in accessing programming – make learning fun and joyful. Help build and strengthen students’ relationships with skill building and academic success.
• Provide one-on-one support to students to support their engagement in ADLs, activities and opportunities in the community
• Complete program communication and documentation requirements, including daily student progress summaries, incident reports, etc.
• Assist with facilitating off campus school trips to enhance skills in the community
• Participate in crisis intervention as needed
• Support students in building routines and increasing their independence
• Plan and implement scheduled programming during each shift to provide structure and learning opportunities for students
• Assist and instruct in activities of daily living in the residence and in the community
• Maintain a therapeutic environment by ensuring the highest standards of health and safety and implementing school-wide therapeutic frameworks
• Believe that every person has the agency to build a life that brings them joy. Help them build the skills that will help them achieve it!

Competencies & Skills:

• Demonstrates proficiency at both understanding and implementing CPI, ARC and PBIS models of treatment
• Demonstrates consistent professionalism and ability to develop and maintain safe and effective student/staff relationships
• Demonstrates a desire to increase comfortability to give and receive feedback
• Excellent time and attendance
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Previous experience preferred, but not required
• A background check, drug and alcohol test will be performed prior to start

Licensure, Degree, and Certification Required:

• B.A. or B.S. in Special Education, Social Work, Education, Psychology, or related field
• Experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor’s degree as approved by the Ivy Street School Leadership Team
• Previous experience preferred, but not required
• Some holiday shifts required
• A valid driver’s license
• A background check, drug and alcohol test will be performed prior to start
• CPR and First Aid required, offered upon hire

Visit our website! www.ivystreetschool.org

MAB Community Services is committed to workplace diversity, and candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Job Type: Per diem

Frequent walking, standing, and driving. Must be able to maintain a high level of energy in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to lift and/or carry lightweight and moderately heavy objects. Must be able to assist in lifting and transferring participants. Must be able to implement safety restraint procedures in response to emergencies or treatment plans and apply First Aid and CPR

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In accordance with MAB’s ADA policy, MAB will engage in an interactive dialogue with individuals to determine if the essential functions of the position may be fulfilled with or without a reasonable accommodation.